Device for capping transmitters



Dec. 15, 1953 c. c. M CAIN 2,662,646

DEVICE FOR CAPPING TRANSMITTERS Filed July 5, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.|

INVENTOR. C. G. MCCAIN BY fiwd ug ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1953 c. c. M CAIN DEVICE FOR CAPPING TRANSMITTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1951 INVENTOR. C. C. MCCAIN ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1953 c. c. M CAIN DEVICE FOR CAPPING TRANSMITTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed y 5, 1951 INVENTOR; C. 0. M0 CAI N BY ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1953 c. c. MCCAIN DEVICE FOR CAPPING TRANSMITTERS Filed July 5, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

C. C. MCCAIN ATTORNEY Paiented Dec. 15, 1953 DEVICE FOR 'CAPPING TRANSMITTERS Cecil 0. McCain, Glen Ellyn, 111., assignor .to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 5, 1951, Serial No. 235,157

4 Claims. (01. 214-1) This invention relates to a capping device and more particularly to a device for transferring caps from a chute or magazine into carbon receptacles of telephone transmitter units.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple apparatus for eificiently applying caps to receptacles.

In one embodiment of the invention as applied to an apparatus for applying caps to the top of carbon receptacles of telephone transmitter units there is provided a magazine or chute for receiving the caps in edge-to-edge relation and directing them downwardly one at a time into a pocket formed in a reciprocable composite transfer member and as the transfer member is advanced it is oscillated and moves the cap in. the pocket thereof from a vertical position at the magazine to a horizontal position above the transmitter unit. A retaining plate which is slidably mounted on the transfer member forms one side of the pocket for retaining the cap therein and for supporting it when the transfer member is in a horizontal position and at a predetermined point during the advancing movement of the transfer member, the retaining plate is adapted to engage and to be stopped by a transmitter unit at a capping station so that as the transfer member continues its advancing movement the retaining member .is withdrawn relative thereto to permit the cap in the pocket to be released onto the top of the carbon receptacle of the transmitter unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the transfer member in its retracted position for receiving a cap in the pocket thereof;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the transfer member in its advanced position depositing the cap onto the carbon receptacle of a transmitter unit;

Fig, 3 is a perspective View of parts of the apparatus in separated relation to each other;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational sectional view of a portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the transfer member showing the member in an intermediate position with the forward end thereof in engagement with a portion of the transmitter unit;

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary views similar to Fig. 5 showing a portion of the transfer member in difierent positions;

Fig. 8 is a detailedcross-sectional view through the transfer member taken on the line 3-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4 showing the transfer member in its retracted position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the transfer member in a changed position;

Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line I I-Ii of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l2-] 2 of Fig. 4.

The apparatus illustrated herein is designed to apply metal caps l 9 onto the apertured top p01- tions I2 of carbon receptacles in telephone transmitt-er units M. The transmitter units it are positioned in recesses or seats It in a feed table 18 which is intermittently indexed to position a transmitter after it has been filled with carbon at a capping station 28. The caps I ll (Figs. 6 and 9) are made of metal and have a fiat top 22 and a cylindrical flange 23 extending transversely therefrom.

The caps are placed in a predetermined position in a guide channel 25 in a chute or magazine 26 which has a transversely extending base portion 28 (Figs. 3 and 9) secured to one end of a memberzii. The member 29 may be formed integral with or secured to a spacing member 36 which is supported on any suitable supporting plate or table 32. The caps If! in the chute 26 are fed by gravity and are directed downwardly into a pocket or recess 3| of a horizontally reciprocable composite transfer member 32 (Figs, 1, .2 and 3).

The transfer member 32 comprises an elongated thin bar or member 3a and a retaining member 35. The recess 3| is formed at one end of the bar 34 and extends inwardly from one side thereof. The member 35 has a flat thin bladelike portion .35 which is adapted to engage one side of the bar 34 and cooperate therewith to form one'wall of the pocket 3! for receiving and retaining the cap therein. The retaining member 35 has an elongated slot 3? through which a shouldered screw 38 passes, the threaded end of which engages a-threaded-aperture 3?; in the bar 3 and the head of the screw engaging flat spring All interposed between the head of the screw and the member 35 for securing the parts in assembled relation. .A flange portion 53 of the retaining member 35 is engageable with the longitudinal edge of the bar 34 to prevent angular displacement of the member 35 and serves to guide the member 35 for movement longitudinally of the bar 34. The member 35 is thus movable longitudinally relative to the bar 34 from a normal closed position shown in Fig. where the portion 36 serves to close the recess 3| to retain the cap therein and a position shown in Fig. 6 where the retaining member is retracted to uncover the recess 3! and permit the cap to be released therefrom as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The bar 34 is fixed to a rod 41 which is journaled for oscillating movement in an aperture 48 in a bearing member 49 and is retained thereon against axial displacement by a collar 58 pinned to the rod. The bearing member 49 is formed on one side at one end of a member 52 which is secured to a member or bar 53 and forms a composite slide member 54. The bar 53 of the slide 54 is adapted to be guided for horizontal reciprocable movement in a slideway 55 in the member 29 and has a lug 56 extending downwardly therefrom which passes through a slot 5! in the member 29. A cover or retaining plate 60 secured by screws 61 (Fig. 10) to the member 29 engages the slide member 52 and prevents vertical displacement thereon.

As the caps pass from the chute into the pocket 30 of the transfer member they are disposed in a vertical position and have to be rotated through 90 in order to apply them onto the carbon receptacle of the telephone transmitter. This is accomplished by a tubular cam member 65 which has a cam slot 66 therein engageable with a cam follower 61 secured to the end of the rod 41'. The cam member 65 has a lug 69 thereon by means of which the cam 65 is secured to a laterally pro- J'ecting portion ll! of the stationary member 29. The cam slot 6% has a spiral portion H (Figs. 3 and l) which will cause the cam follower 6! and the transfer member 32 to be rotated through 90 during the first portion of the longitudinal movement of the transfer member to the left as viewed in Fig. 4 and has a straight cam portion I2 for maintaining the transfer member 32 in horizontal position during the remainder of the forward stroke of the transfer member.

Means are provided for retaining the caps in the chute 26 while the cap 10 in the pocket 3| of the transfer member 32 is being applied to the transmitter unit. A long, relatively thin member or blade I5 is secured by screws 76 (Fig. 11) to the member 52 of the slide 54 for movement therewith. The forward longitudinal edge portion of the blade 75 is positioned so as to intersect the guide channel 25 in the chute 26 and obstruct the downward movement of the caps in in the chute. A rectangular notch Tl is formed in the blade E5 in alignment with the guide channel 25 of the chute 26 when the slide 54 and the blade 15 are in their normal retracted position to form a passageway through which the caps 10 may pass from the chute 26 into the pocket 3|.

Any suitable means may be provided for actuating the slide to reciprocate the transfer member 32 and the blade l5. As shown herein a lever 86 pivoted at its lower end has a pin 82 at its upper end which rides in the slotted end of the lug 52 on the slide bar 53, and has a spring 84 for stressing the lever for movement to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The lever 89 has a cam roller 86 thereon which is urged against a cam 88 mounted on a drive shaft 89 for rotating the cam in timed relation to the index of the feed wheel [8.

In the operation of the capping apparatus the feed wheel i8 is intermittently indexed to move successive transmitter units I4 into the capping position 20 and the caps ID in the magazine or chute 26 are guided downwardly by gravity in edge-to-edge relation to each other with the lowermost cap l0 being received in the pocket 3| of the transfer member 32. As the cam 88 rotates the slide 54 the transfer member 32 and blade '15 carried thereby are caused to advance to the left as viewed in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. In response to the advancing movement of the blade 15 the portion of the blade which lies beneath the lowermost cap it in the chute serves to block the movement thereof and hold the caps in the chute until the blade 15 has completed its cycle of movement and has returned to its normal retracted position with the notch H in alignment with the guide channel 25 of the chute. The retaining member 35 on the transfer member 32 is in its normal position relative to the bar 34 as indicated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 during the first portion of the advancing movement of the transfer member whereby the wall portion 38 of the member 35 overlies the pocket 3| and forms one wall thereof to retain the cap therein.

During the initial portion of the forward movement of the transfer member 32 the curved portion H of the cam groove in cooperation with the cam follower 6'! effects the turning of the transfer member and the cap IE in the pocket 3| thereof from a vertical position at the chute 26 to a horizontal position as indicated in dotted lines 95 in Fig, 4. The axis of the rod 41 and rotation of the transfer member 32 is in a horizontal plane passing substantially through the center of the blade 15 and in a vertical plane passing substantially through the middle of the guide channel 25 of the chute 25 so that when the transfer member 32 has been rotated the pocket 3! and the cap iii therein will be in substantial horizontal alignment with the blade 75 as shown in Fig. 7. As the transfer member 32 continues its advancing movement the straight portion 12 of the cam groove cooperates with the cam follower 61 to maintain the transfer member 32 in a horizontal position.

The receiver unit [4 at the capping station 20 is positioned at a predetermined elevation relative to the transfer member 32 and in the path of movement thereof so that as the transfer member advances the retaining member 35 thereof will engage the shoulder 96 of a projection portion of the receiver unit and will have its movement arrested thereby while the bar 34 completes its forward movement to the position shown in Fig. 7. When the member 35 engages the projecting portion 96 of the transmitter unit [4 and the member 34 moves relative to the member 35, the relative movement of the two members causes the lower wall 36 of the pocket 3| to be withdrawn to permit the cap ill therein to be released and dropped onto the transmitter unit. When the transfer member has advanced to the position shown in Fig. 6 the rear portion of the cap will fall into the annular cavity surrounding the top of the receptacle and into engagement with the receptacle as shown in Fig. 6. As the transfer member continues its forward movement the cap is advanced thereby until the forward portion of the flange of the cap drops over the forward edge of the receptacle (Fig. 7). If desired bar 34 of the transfer member 32 may have a little over-travel as shown in Fig. 7 to insure that the cap is forced down onto the top of the receptacle if any opposition is encountered by the cap. As the slide 54 is retracted the end of the bar 34 moves over the cap l0 deposited on the transmitter unit and carries the-retaining member 35 therewith through the same path of movement but in a reverse direction to return the carrier 32 to its original vertical position and the blade it to its normal starting position with the notch ii" in alignment with the guide channel 25 of the chute 26.

The member 35 is of a predetermined length and has a laterally extending lug 9d at one end thereof which engages with the vertical surface 99 of the block iii on the member 29 which arrests the movement of the member 35 on its return stroke to cause movement of the bar 3% relative to the member 35 and restore the member 35 to its normal position with respect to the bar 34.

In the event that a cap It is inadvertently turned upside down in the pocket 3! of the transfer member 32, when the retaining plate 35 is retracted relative to the bar 34 to release the cap, the cap will not fall from the pocket 3! but will remain on the upper surface of the receptacle and portions of the transmitter unit l4, and as the transfer member is retracted the cap will be withdrawn from the upwardly projecting portion on the transmitter and will drop from the pocket 3i when the cap clears the projecting portion of the transmitter.

When there is no transmitter at the capping station the retaining member 35 of the transfer member will not be retracted relative to the member 34 as the transfer member is advanced and consequently the cap I!) will not be released at the forward position of the transfer member. As the transfer member is retracted the cap in the pocket 3| thereof will be retained therein and returned with the transfer member 32 and will be advanced with the transfer memher on the next stroke thereof.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for applying caps onto articles comprising a chute for holding a supply of said caps, a slide mounted for reciprocation with respect to said chute, a transfer member pivotally mounted on said slide for reciprocation therewith to and from retracted and advanced positions and for oscillation about an aXis parallel to the direction of movement of said slide, means for oscillating said transfer member to and from vertical and horizontal positions in response to the reciprocation thereof, a recess in the transfer member alignable with said chute when said transfer member is in said retracted position for receiving a cap therein, a retaining member slidably mounted on said transfer member for movement therewith and having a normal position for retaining said cap in said recess as said transfer member is advanced, means for reciprocating said slide to cause said transfer member to receive a cap from said chute and position it in the advanced position of said trans fer member above said article, said retaining member forming the lower wall of said pocket for supporting the cap thereon during a portion of the movement of said transfer member, and means for supporting said article in a predetermined position in the path of movement of said retaining member to arrest the movement thereof at a predetermined point in the movement of the transfer member to said advanced position to effect relative movement between said transfer member and said retaining member and the positioning of said retaining member in said open position thereby to effect the release of said cap onto said article.

2. A device for applying caps onto articles comprising a magazine for said caps having a discharge outlet, a carrier member having a pocket for receiving a cap therein, a retaining member mounted on said carrier member for movement therewith and relative thereto to and from a normally closed position and an open position, said retaining member in said closed position forming a wall of said pocket to support a cap in said pocket, means for yieldably retaining said retaining member in set positions on said carrier member, means for reciprocating said carrier member to and from a retracted position with the pocket in alignment with the discharge outlet of said magazine and an advanced position with the pocket above said article, means for retaining the caps in said magazine during the reciprocation of said carrier member, means for supporting said article in a predetermined position under the path of movement of said carrier member and in the path of movement of said retaining member to arrest the movement of the retaining member at a predetermined point during the forward movement of said transfer member to cause movement of the transfer member relative to said retaining member and the release of said cap onto said article, and means for returning said retaining member to its closed position on said carrier member in response to the return movement of said carrier member.

3. A device for applying caps onto articles comprising a carrier member having a pocket for receiving a cap therein, a retaining member mounted on said carrier member for movement therewith and relative thereto to and from a normally closed position and an open position and operable in said closed position to retain a cap in said pocket, means for yieldably retaining said retaining member in set positions on said carrier member, means for reciprocating said carrier member to and from a cap receiving station and a cap discharging station, means for feeding a cap into the pocket of said carrier in response to the movement of said carrier to said cap receiving station, means for supporting an article at said cap discharging station under the path of movement of said carrier member and in the path of movement of said retaining member to arrest the movement thereof and to effect the positioning of the retaining member to said open position in response to the advance movement of said carrier member to release said cap onto said article, and means for returning said retaining member to its normal position on said carrier member in response to the return movement of said carrier member.

4. In a device for applying caps to articles, the combination of a transfer bar having a cap supporting recess therein, means for reciprocating said transfer bar to and from a cap receiving station and a cap discharging station, a member slidably mounted on said transfer bar, means operable in response to the movement of said bar from said cap discharging station for effecting relative movement between said transfer bar and said member to a closed position to position said member opposite said recess, said References Cited in the file of this patent member in said closed position forming a (:10-

sure for said recess to support the cap therein, UNITED STATES PATENTS and means for supporting an article at said cap 1 discharging station under the path of travel of 5 gggj said transfer bar and in the path of travel of 1 15 1924 said member to arrest the movement of said 35 5 3 3 192; member at a predetermined point in the move- 2359575 g gg f 194: ment of the transfer bar to said cap dlscharg- 2,438,174 Lamg Man 23) 1943 ing station to cause the cap to be advanced be- 10 yond said member and deposited on said article.

CECIL C. MCCAIN. 

